It’s 2015 and this is my first post. I made a solemn New Year resolution: post regularly to the blog. Don’t get distracted. That’s my promise. Hold me to it. Better yet, I’m going to hold myself to it.

People often ask what new books are in the works. The latest development is that I’ve started working with a new publisher, Graphic Arts. They’re located in Portland. The office is just out at the airport, about 45 minutes from my house. It’s a treat to be able to drive out and chat with the publisher, Doug Pfeiffer, who clearly loves books and sees a need for smaller presses to focus on writers and topics of regional interest that are often overlooked by larger, international publishers.

The first book is coming out this spring. It’s a new edition of The Runaway Tortilla. Fans of the Tortilla have been after me for years, asking how they could get a copy. The book has been difficult to find since the initial publisher, Winslow Press, ran into financial difficulty. Graphic Arts snapped up the idea when I brought it to them. Our original plan was to use Randy Cecil’s original illustrations. Randy, however, didn’t feel comfortable using those illustrations. He felt they were no longer typical of what he does. Frankly, I love those pictures and would have been delighted to use them. But it was Randy’s call and we had to respect his decision. Graphic Arts found a local artist, Erik Brooks, who has been creating thoroughly wonderful pictures. I can’t wait til spring when the Tortilla begins her run again.